X3 3.0d Reviews?

I have an '05 3.0d Sport Auto.  Dealer told me that in the years thay they have been selling the 'X', only three customers had opted for the manual and they wanted a much larger deposit if I wanted one.

The engine is very good with masses of grunt and a 0-60 time of under 9 secs, which for a two tonne vehicle is pretty good.  From inside the vehicle the engine is a gentle purr and when revved hard does not sound like a diesel unit at all.

I drove various 4wd vehicles in previous employment and can safely say the X5 beats all of them except for off-road performance (but then most owners including me don't overly worry about that).  I have had mine off road, but not into the seriously soft stuff.

The auto box is also very good, very smooth changes in normal mode and you can always use the steptronic box in manual mode.  I use the Sport mode occasionally when wanting to get across a busy roundabout, otherwise the torque available simply means it's not really necessary.  The only other place I use the box manually is to hold a gear in a 30mph zone  - helps avoid scameras!!

Fuel economy around town is in the mid-twenties and on motorways low 30's.  I regularly get 34mpg on runs up and down the M6, but it is very tempting to use the power, and that may give the grin factor, but the mpg suffers!!  Average is around 29mpg over the time I've owned her.

Friends and acqaintances don't believe it's a diesel.  It goes like the wind and handles like a car.  Would I have another one?  Yes, but not the new shape.

Ride wise, it's the most car like 4x4 I have ever driven and can be thrown around corners with much gusto and no complaints.  It just goes round, and at car speeds.  The computers are probably making all sorts of changes underneath, but I've never noticed them doing anything.

My wife suffers from motion sickness so ride was critical in our final choice.  I tried the XC90 (underpowered, too soft, didn't need 7 seats); Toureg (underpowered, naff interior); Kia Sorento (don't laugh!); Landcruiser Amazon (way too thirsty); LC5 (not enough toys avail, too soft, underpowered); Disco (don't go there, plus too many reliability issues having run a fleet of them), the new one is too big.  Range Rover (too like a London Taxi from the outside and I don't own an oil company).  Mitsi and Nissans too, but they didn't really take our fancy.

These views are entirely personal.  I love my 'X', but I don't like the dealer support which is poor from my experience.  I've had to BMW GB on more than one occasion to clear a blockage with the dealer and now do not use the original supplier.

I haven't had it serviced yet, but that won't be long now - last green light on.  It did use a bit of oil for the first 7k miles, but not much since and it just keeps getting better and better.

Options fitted:  Panoramic Sun roof, SatNav+TV, Pro B/Tooth phone kit, Comfort seats, load floor, detachable towbar (get this OEM), privacy glass, sunblinds in rear plus extra ones in the rear quarter windows and rear screen, hi-fi speakers, 10-disc chgr, Ice>Link plus, climate windescreen, rear a/c, bi-xenon, auto lights/mirrors/wipers.  Oh and a compass in the mirror.

There is a very good owners site at www.x5world.com.  It is in the USA.  No diesels out there, but plenty of owners on the site from all over the rest of the world with diesels.  Probably one of the better reference sites for questions to owners.

Hope this helps


Edited by Gryphon